A macaw in the expansive Oiapaque indigenous region in the Amazon region of Brazil. The Nature Conservancy has been partnering with local indigenous communities in Oiapoque since 2001 to demonstrate how indigenous people can manage their lands reconciling biodiversity conservation with their economic, social and cultural needs.—Photo by Haroldo Palo Jr. #amazon#brazil#macaw#indigenous#rainbow#wildlife#birdsofinstagram

UC Santa Cruz research diver, Patrick Berk, performs rockfish survey in kelp forest off Monterey, California. The Nature Conservancy in conjunction with UC Santa Cruz studied the effects of canopy loss on kelp communities and took land-based conservation strategies to sea to protect the giant kelp and the forest ecosystems. TNC also worked with abalone farmers to harvest kelp sustainably and created Marine Protected Areas to protect the kelp and juvenile rockfish.—Photo by Richard Herrmann #kelp#scientist#santacruz#underwater#research#california

Trees in the snowy fields of Ivanovka, a village in central Azerbaijan founded by Russian Molokans in the 1830s. The village is home to Azerbaijan's last collective farm.
Photographer Tom Marsden has been living and working in Azerbaijan for the past 4 years. He has spent that time exploring the history, culture and multiculturalism of the Caucasus.—Photo by @thomas_c_marsden#azerbaijan#caucasus#winter#trees#snow

Having a leopard in the neighborhood may seem a terrifying prospect, but the reality is that large predator may save your life. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment suggests that leopards in Mumbai, the world’s sixth most-populated city, may save human lives by feeding on feral dogs. Feral dogs are a major health issue in India, where they are the leading cause of rabies deaths. The study was led by researchers from the University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Check out our coverage on our Science blog, Cool Green Science: https://blog.nature.org/science/2018/03/08/urban-leopards-can-save-lives-by-eating-feral-dogs/.—Photo by Steve Winter/National Geographic @stevewinterphoto#leopards#cities#india#bigcats#catsofinstagram#wildlife#protectnature

Once Leah Orwangas learned about her rights from the Northern Tanzania Rangelands Initiative (NTRI), she gained control of her land. NTRI is a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and ten other NGOs. One of the goals of this collaboration is to enhance an ecologically and economically thriving landscape that supports people and wildlife. We help support women leaders like Leah. Help us celebrate International Women’s Day by watching Leah’s story: https://global.nature.org/content/want-to-save-the-planet-empower-women?src=social.instagram.site_globsol.cam_iwd2018.link_blog.d_mar2018.info_story—Photo by @roshni.lodhia@nature_africa#IWD2018#women#africa#leadership#conservation#protectpreserve

Baby Kemp's ridley sea turtles are released and head for the ocean. The most endangered of sea turtle species living in the Gulf of Mexico, Kemp's ridleys are raised from eggs in a hatchery and then released on the beaches of Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, where they will eventually return to nest.—Photo by @carltonward#babyseaturtles#gulfofmexico#ocean#endangeredspecies#beach#babies

Aerial view tourist dive boat near coral formations among the Rock Islands and coral seascape at the Republic of Palau. The coral reefs of Palau are part of a massive interconnected system that ties together Micronesia and the Western Pacific. To protect these reefs the Conservancy joined with other experts to develop Transforming Coral Reef Conservation. The Conservancy has worked with Palau’s community leaders and government agencies since 1992. In that time we have helped bridge the gap between traditional and modern approaches to conservation. The Conservancy helped establish the Palau Conservation Society, a local environmental organization dedicated to protecting Palau’s natural heritage.—Photo by @ianshivephoto#naturalbeauty#conservation#oceans#islands#boats#imonaboat

It's the weekend! Relax, like this three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus); photographed in the tropical rainforest at Hacienda Baru, Costa Rica. Hacienda Baru is a private nature reserve located on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast region, adjacent to the mouth of the Baru River and the town of Dominical.—Photo by Sergio Pucci #sloths#slothsofinstagram#costarica#naturepreserve#rainforest#theweekend#wildlife

A big win for oceans: Seychelles just announced two new Marine Protected Areas that equal the size of Great Britain. Fishing and ocean-based tourism employ 43% of Seychelles’ workforce. New marine protections announced today will make these jobs more secure in the long term. Join us and @nature_africa in congratulating all those who made it happen: nature.org/StandWithSeychelles—Video by National Geographic Pristine Seas #seychelles#ocean#protectnature#conservation#protectpreserve